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Tag: totems

If you have read any of my posts, you might have noticed that I sign each one with “Mitakuye Oyasin” which means we are all related. For me this is the essence of what I believe, that we are all related and we are all connected. I am your sister and I can not exist without you. I can not exist with being connected to the Spirit World or without being a part of the Great Pulse of the world. It is important for me to honor all people and all things and the relationships that I have with them in the Web of Life.

We are all a part of the Family of Earth and loved by the Creator of All Things. All of us from the beings in the oceans, the birds in the sky, the plants of the ground, and the animals are all the children of the Creator and share that connection. Chief Seattle taught that we are all a part of the Web of Life and that if I do something to you, then I do the same thing to myself.

Let’s think about that. If I give you joy, then I bring myself joy. If I honor your being then I am in turn honoring my own being. It does not matter if we are young, old, rich, poor, strong, or weak. If we remember that all things are related and the way we treat each other and the things around us matters, we can have a better life.

If we are disrespectful to humans or the living things on this earth, it does effect us in the long run. Don’t you think? I do! I believe it with my whole being.

Mitakuye Oyasin is a lesson or medicine that I remind myself of each day. It is one of the reasons that I started this blog to both teach myself and understand the lessons of all of the living parts of the Earth that I can learn from. My posts help me and hopefully help you too.

One really helpful book for me is Listen to the Drum. Blackwolf helped me to understand the connection that I have to all things and to listen to my own drum, my heartbeat as I approach each day.

One of the award winning Native American jewelry makers of today is Calvin Begay. This designer and master craftsman was born in Gallup, New Mexico in 1965.

Calvin’s mother and uncle taught him the art of jewelry making. At age 10, he designed his first piece. Calvin Begay has become a true master in every aspect of the design and manufacture of Native American silver jewelry. The Gallup Inter Tribal Ceremonial has bestowed many awards to Calvin including Best of Show in 1989. Arizona Highways and Southwest Art have featured his jewelry in their magazines.

I love Calvin Begay jewelry, most especially his inlay work. He takes traditional techniques to a new level by creating flowing and contemporary styles. His choice of materials blend so harmoniously and fluidly making a piece of art to wear and treasure for its beauty.

The Calvin Begay Jewelry pictured here is only one of his designs. I love the combination of turquoise, lapis-lazuli, and sugilite mixing together to form what looks to me like a bird in flight. The pendant is worked in 14K gold instead of the traditional silver.

There is powerful medicine in the gemstones that Calvin used for this pendant. The lapis-lazuli will open your mind to the knowing that you are a part of “All That Is”, the awakening to the perfection of the self. Turquoise is associated with the male energy of protection and wisdom. Many believe that turquoise aids in protection by absorbing negative energy away from you. Sugilite is one of the most important love stones. Spiritual love and wisdom is represented through its rich purple rays. Wearing a piece of jewelry with these particular gemstones provides strong and loving medicine.

Had you thought of the Native American Totems that are incorporated into the jewelry made by artists like Calvin Begay and the jewelry makers of the past and present? Each stone has a traditional meaning with its own type of medicine.